Life
by Cindy Ryan
Summary: Fluff. The Impala has a stowaway.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Life  
Author: Cindy Ryan  
Category: Fluff/One shot  
Summary: The Impala has a stowaway  
Timeline: Set after Crossroads  
Notes: This is for Littlewing and anybody else who've ever requested that I write more fluff.

Sam Winchester was almost asleep. He had allowed the comforting hum of the Impala's engine and the familiar rhythm of the car's tires to lull him. Content with the knowledge of his brother's safe driving, even with all they've been through recently, Sam snuggled against the door. He rested his head against the doorframe.

Just as sleep was about to claim him, Sam heard it. The sound was enough of something out of the ordinary to keep Sam awake. Sam straightened in his seat. He opened his eyes and listened.

"Thought you were asleep."Dean stated as he looked over at his brother just as a passing car's headlights washed over.

Sam shook his head as he turned in his seat to face his sibling. "Heard something."

Dean rubbed a weary hand along the back of his neck as he asked. "What?"

"Don't know."

"I'm sure it's nothing."Dean replied. "Go to sleep, Sam. You're exhausted."

"So are you."Sam pointed out. He'd been worried about Dean. Pushing himself too hard, keeping closed up, emotionally.

Dean smiled ruefully. "So what else is new? We'll stop closer to dawn. I wanna get a few more miles in."

"Okay."Sam replied as he settled back in his seat. It was then that he heard the sound again.

Quiet, but definitely there.  
Sam reached over and turned down the volume knob of the radio.

"Heard it again?"Dean asked as the music disappeared.

"Yeah."Sam acknowledged as he concentrated, trying to lock down the area the sound was coming from.

The sound came again causing Sam to frown.

"I think its car related."Sam surmised as he listened.

Dean shook his head as he patted the steering wheel. "Nah, can't be. I put her back together."

The sound came once more and Sam tapped Dean's shoulder. "Hear that?"

"No."

"Pull over."

"Sam."

"Pull over, Dean, just check it out. We're in the middle of nowhere. Not exactly a spot we want to break down in."

"This a psychic instinct of yours, Sammy?"

"Dean….."

"Alright,alright."Dean grumbled as he slowed the car and pulled it into the gravel shoulder. "If this is a waste of time you're buying breakfast."


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Life  
Author: Cindy Ryan  
Category: Fluff/One shot  
Summary: The Impala has a stowaway  
Timeline: Set after Crossroads  
Notes: This is for Littlewing and anybody else who've ever requested that I write more fluff.

"Deal."Sam replied as he got out of the car and headed toward the front.

Dean popped the hood. He had left the engine running so they could identify the sound. Now as he leaned against the car he still didn't hear anything.

"Sam….."

The sound came again then and Sam nodded. "There."

"Where?"

Now that they were stopped the sound was coming closer together.

"You really don't hear that?"Sam asked as he moved to the middle of the car.

Dean followed his brother as he shook his head. "No."

Then as they moved closer to the trunk Dean finally heard it. "Wait, now I do. Like the sound a NASCAR car makes when it goes into a corner?"

Sam looked at his brother strangely he hadn't thought of the sound in quite that context. "Uh, yeah. Maybe it's the muffler."

"It'd be louder."

"Maybe something's rattling in the trunk."Sam suggested as he unlocked the trunk and lifted the lid.

Sam leaned in the trunk and moved his bag and paused and listened. Then he reached over to move his brother's bag away from the wheel hub.

That was when the pair of eyes looked back at him.

"What the hell?"Sam yelped as he stumbled backwards, startled.

"What?"Dean asked with concern as he reached Sam's side.

"There."Sam replied as he pointed out the pair of eyes.

Dean reached down and pulled his spare knife out of the back of his right boot. As Dean took a step forward with the knife Sam finally saw what was behind the pair of eyes.

"Dean, stop."Sam ordered as he grabbed his brother's arm. "You're scaring it."

"Sam, what are……."Dean started to say as Sam moved past him and reached into the trunk.

"It's a kitten."Sam replied with a smile as he moved Dean's bag slowly out of the way of the animal.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Life  
Author: Cindy Ryan  
Category: Fluff/One shot  
Summary: The Impala has a stowaway  
Timeline: Set after Crossroads  
Notes: This is for Littlewing and anybody else who've ever requested that I write more fluff.

"It's okay."Sam said soothingly to the tiny orange and white tabby. "Nobody's going to hurt you."

The kitten cowered away from Sam's outstretched hand and moved farther into the corner of the trunk.

"A cat?"Dean muttered with a shake of his head. "How did a cat get in there?"

Sam made another move toward the animal but its eyes were fixed on Dean still."Dean, put the knife away. You're scaring it."

The kitten mewed and Dean quickly put the knife away.

"It probably crawled in while we were loading the trunk at the hotel this morning."Sam theorized as he made another reach for the kitten.

Dean straightened and placed his hand on the top of trunk. "Come on, Sam. Let's get moving."

Sam looked back at his brother. "We can't leave it in the trunk."

"It's been there all day and its fine. I don't want to waste any more time on this."

The kitten meowed and moved to the center of the trunk hovering against the back wall.

Sam's heart went out to it. It was barely six months old. "Dean, it's probably starving."

Dean shook his head as he moved away. "I'll give you five minutes. Then we're going."

"Don't mind him."Sam said quietly to the kitten as he held out his right hand palm forward so the animal could smell it. "He's not always that grouchy."

The kitten hesitated for a moment before moving forward to sniff Sam's hand. Once he had the cat's approval Sam gently scooped the animal up and drew it to his chest as he closed the lid of the trunk. As he made his way back to the front of the car he opened the door and grabbed a drab blue blanket from the back seat. He got back in the car and sat down. Sam wrapped the kitten in the blanket, before reaching over and putting on his seatbelt.

Dean looked at the kitten in his brother's lap and shook his head as he pulled the Impala back out onto the highway.

"Don't let it claw up my seats, Sam."

Sam gently stroked the kitten's head, scratching behind the ears. The kitten started to purr and curled up against Sam's leg.

"Where did you come from, little one?"Sam asked the animal.

"It's a stray, Sam. Probably was skulking the alley of that motel. Who knows what diseases it has?"

Sam shook his head as he pulled the blanket away gently to examine the kitten. "Looks pretty clean to be a stray."

Dean shrugged. "Somebody could've dumped it."

Sam drew the blanket closer around the cat as it seemed to be shivering in its sleep. "Who could do that to a defenseless animal?"

"People do a lot of things, Sam."Dean replied quietly. "Don't get too attached to it. We're dropping it off at the first animal shelter we see."

"That'd probably be for the best."Sam agreed though he was already getting attached to the tiny animal. They'd never had a pet growing up. Moved around too much, always on the road.

Dean saw the look on his brother's face. "Can't take it on the road, Sam. Not good for it."

"I know."Sam replied quietly as he continued to pet the kitten.

Just after dawn they pulled into town. Finding a phone book in a twenty-four hour diner Sam located an animal hospital that was open.

When he got back to the Impala Sam smiled seeing the kitten had found it's way onto Dean's lap and was curled up sound asleep.

"I see you found a friend there."Sam stated with a chuckle as he climbed into the car. It felt good to smile and laugh again. At least for a little bit.

Dean smiled briefly then quickly handed the kitten over to his brother. "Yeah, whatever. What'd you find out?"

"There's an animal hospital over on Eastern that's open. They'll hold the kitten there until the shelter opens."

"Good."Dean replied as he threw the car into drive and pulled it back onto the street.

"These are good people."Sam whispered to the sleeping kitten. "You'll be safe here and they'll find you a good home."

Dean pulled into the parking lot of the animal hospital and Sam got out of the car. The kitten woke at the movement and began to meow. A young red haired woman met Sam at the door and gently took the kitten blanket and all.

"We'll take good care of it."The woman promised Sam as he reached over one last time to pet the kitten.

"I know."Sam replied as he turned and headed back to the Impala.

"Let's find a motel."Dean stated as Sam got in the car. "I'm beat."

"Yeah, me too."Sam replied as he sat down.

Dean nodded and pulled the Impala out onto the street just as the sun started to rise.

end


End file.
